


Carry On

by Katherine Oswald (Copper_Rogue)



Category: The Vampire Diaries - L. J. Smith, Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-04
Updated: 2014-05-04
Packaged: 2018-01-21 23:21:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1567706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Copper_Rogue/pseuds/Katherine%20Oswald
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Amara had Maya. Tatia had Jayna. Katerina had Emiliya. Elena had Clara. A prophecy states that every Doppelganger will have a twin, and every twin will die for their sister. However, Clara is determined to make her own destiny.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Carry On

"... I promise to love you forever - every single day of forever..."

Clara looked up as she read the words in front of her. She tried her hardest not to roll her eyes as she closed the book she held in her hands and placed it on the table that she was sat at. Caroline had borrowed her the Twilight Saga, telling her that it was a classic and Clara would enjoy it more than any of the other books she had read. Clara had agreed, more to humour her best friend than in any actual interest in the books, and now she was regretting it. She would never tell Caroline but the books were terrible. Not just the writing or the lack of three dimensional characters, but the whole premise was utterly ridiculous.

A sparkling vampire? Really?

"You're up early." Clara heard a voice comment from behind her and turned her head just as her older sister, Elena, walked past. Her eyes were focused on the coffee on the counter in front of Clara and she scrunched her nose in disgust as her sister poured a cup of the dark brown, almost black, liquid. Even the smell of the drink was enough to make her stomach turn.

"First day of school, and all that. I said I'd help Caroline with the new cheerleaders." She told her sister and Elena nodded thoughtfully, her face downcast. Elena had bailed on the summer camp that they had attended for years. Clara knew people understood; after all, losing your parents wasn't something you could get over in a night. Clara knew Elena was struggling to move on, and so was Clara, but she couldn't handle sitting in the house - their parents house - wallowing in her grief. Instead, Clara had tried her hardest to get her life back to how it was and she was grateful that everyone tried to treat her as they normally would. She pretended not to notice the pitying looks she still received. 

"Toast. I can make toast." Clara turned her head to look behind her as her Aunt Jenna walked in. Her hair was clipped up and it looked strange to Clara. Her fun loving Aunt was the younger sister of their mother who had been roped into taking care of her two nieces and nephew. Although she had agreed, Clara had the idea that this wasn't what she had planned to be doing and Clara couldn't blame her. Her Aunt was wild and fun, a free spirit if Clara had ever seen one. She had loved when her Aunt would visit as a child, and on more than one occasion her mom had compared her to Jenna. It was strange to see her so... responsible. 

"It's all about the coffee, Aunt Jenna." Elena told Jenna, finishing pouring a cup as Clara gathered her bag and stood from her seat just as Jeremy walked in, his eyes fixated on the coffee Elena held. 

"Is there coffee?" Jeremy asked and Clara just looked at her younger brother as he walked straight past her, not even acknowledging her. Clara returned the gesture, turning her head away and looking in the opposite direction as Jeremy took the cup of coffee from their sister's hand without a word. Elena looked quite annoyed as she stared at her now empy hand but didn't say a word. Clara focused on Jenna rather than her siblings, unable to handle facing her brother without starting another fight. 

"Your first day of school and I'm totally unprepared. Lunch money?" Jenna asked, looking at each of the siblings in turn. 

"I'm good." Elena said with a shake of her head but Jeremy took the money Jenna offered. Clara bit her tongue to stop herself from saying a sarcastic remark. She knew exactly what Jeremy would buy with the money Jenna gave him, and it definitely wasn't lunch. Jenna finally turned to Clara and she smiled at her Aunt.

"I'm good, thanks. I better be off, I'll see you later." She said, giving her Aunt a kiss on her cheek as she walked past her guardian. She completely missed the look Jenna and Elena exchanged as she left the house and walked towards the car that was waiting outside of her home. Getting in the passenger seat, she exchanged a smile with her blonde best friend who was entirely too enthusiastic for such an early time.

"I have so much to tell you!" Caroline almost squealed as she started the car and Clara smiled fondly at her best friend who acted as though they hadn't seen each other in a month rather than the week it had actually been. As Caroline started talking, part of Clara's attention drifted away as she looked at the passing surroundings through her window. Her brown eyes met beady black eyes and she raised an eyebrow as the black crow watched her with a focus that a bird shouldn't possess. She shivered as the bird continued to watch her before it disappeared from her sight as Caroline drove forward. She swallowed and turned her eyes forward again, forcing herself to pay attention to Caroline's words rather than the fear that the bird had irrationally brought up in her. 

\---

It wasn't until halfway through the school day that Clara felt like herself again. The lingering remnants of the uncomfortable feelings that the crow had given her had taken a while for her to shake off but by lunch she was feeling herself again. She walked outside with Caroline, holding her books from last lesson and laughing at something the blonde had said when she spotted her sister with Bonnie. She smiled as Bonnie's eyes caught her own and the olive skinned girl jumped up and made her way towards Clara with a smile on her face.

"Hey, stranger!" She laughed as the two met, both girls having their arms open and wrapping them around each other as soon as they were close enough. It had been a while since Clara had seen Bonnie. Her friend had left Mystic Falls to visit her mother and her side of the family and the two girls had promised to catch up once school started again. This was the first time they had seen each other but Bonnie had kept her updated throughout the day with texts.

"Hey, yourself? How was your mom?" She asked as they walked over to Elena and Caroline who were both making small talk as they waited for Clara and Bonnie to return.

"Like it always was, boring." Clara laughed at Bonnie's expression as she sat beside her sister. She caught a few people staring as she looked over Bonnie's shoulder and quickly met Bonnie's eyes again. It wasn't the first time she had caught someone staring at her today and she was starting to feel annoyed. She had put so much effort into being herself again, trying to be Clara Gilbert who loved dancing and going out with her friends and being an all around cheery girl. The stares reminded her that she wasn't the same, that there was a part of her that was sad and that it was getting harder and harder to keep it hidden as people continued to watch her as though they were expecting her to break down. 

"Let me guess, you started talking about your Gram's witch stories." Clara predicted and all of the girls laughed. They all knew how much Bonnie's mother hated the stories Bonnie's grandmother would always tell.

"Of course I did." Bonnie replied and the conversation carried on, the four girls exchanging gossip and tales about their first day back at school. Soon, the conversation turned to the new guy that had started today. Clara hadn't seen him yet but from what she had heard from friends, and especially Bonnie, he was very good looking. 

"Has anyone had any lessons with him yet?" Clara asked as she took a bit of a chocolate bar, ignoring Caroline's disapproving glare. Caroline took cheerleading to the extreme and wanted everyone to take part in the diet she had created for them all. Clara was one of the few who told Caroline that under no conditions was she going to eat the many salads she kept trying to push on her.

"No, but I haven't been lazy." Caroline smirked and Clara looked at Elena with a smile, trying not to laugh as Elena rolled her eyes but she knew that her sister was interested in what Caroline had found out. Bonnie had text her about Elena's meeting with the guy and Clara had to admit that she was interested in the guy that had made her downcast sister so flustered. 

"Hey, can I have some of that?" Bonnie asked loudly, interrupting whatever Caroline was going to say as she pointed at Clara's chocolate that she had left on the table. Clara looked at it and shrugged, not really feeling in the mood to finish the chocolate.

"Sure." She replied and handed it over. Bonnie's hand brushed against hers just as the bell rang to signal the beginning of the next lesson. As everyone started to move around for their next class, no one noticed Bonnie stiffen or her gasp as she locked her wide eyes on Clara's confused ones. Her eyebrows scruched together in confusion as Bonnie pulled her hand back as though Clara had burned her but her eyes remained stuck on Clara with an almost frightened expression.

"Bonnie?" She asked and moved to put her hand on her arm across the table. Bonnie moved back quickly to avoid contact with Clara and she moved back. "What's wrong, Bon?" 

"I saw a crow." She whispered so quietly Clara had struggled to hear her, but as she did she paled. Her mind flashed back to that crow that had stared at her so intently this morning. Bonnie looked as scared as she had felt. "It's so... Fascinated by you." She said shakily before shaking herself visibly and looking her normal self. "Clar?" She asked, taking note of Clara's open mouth and wide eyes. "What's wrong?"

"What?" Clara asked, voice shaking and Bonnie put her hand on Clara's in cofort, her face full of worry.

"Clar? Clar, are you alright?" She asked and Elena swooped in and put her arm around her younger sister.

"Clara, what's wrong?" She asked and Clara looked at Elena with wide eyes. Clara had no idea how to tell Elena that she was terrified, that this bird was seemingly stalking her and she had no idea what it meant. However, when she opened her mouth to tell her this, no words came out. It was as if she was momentarily mute and Clara shook her head instead.

"I'm fine. Sorry. Everything's just getting to me, I suppose." She said and took a deep breath to calm herself. She was aware of Caroline and Bonnie letting out sympathetic noises but she ignored her friends and instead looked at her sister. Elena knew Clara was lying but she said nothing, instead choosing to look at her in concern. Her brown eyes sister knew Clara better than she knew herself, in a way similar to how Clara knew Elena. Clara had told Elena things she hadn't even told Caroline and they had a bond stronger than any she had ever had. They were friends, sisters, twins. They used to joke that they were telepathic, that they knew what the other was thinking and feeling, and when it came down to it Clara was pretty sure that it was true.

"Let's get to History." Elena muttered and grabbed Clara's hand and pulled her from the bench they were sat on. Caroline and Bonnie were there straight away, Bonnie offering her a strong, silent support and Caroline attempting to comfort her with words and promises. It was Elena who made her feel better, her dainty hand gripping Clara's with a strength Clara didn't know she was capable of. 

Clara looked at Elena and smiled, and Elena smiled back. For the first time in months it felt as if things were back to normal. It felt like old times where their parents were alive and Jeremy wasn't wasting his life on drugs and Clara wasn't irrationally scared of a seemingly harmless bird.

Clara wished it could be like this more. 

\---

Elena Gilbert sat in History class, her eyes flickering from the back of her sister sat in frront of her and to the gorgeous guy sat behind her. On one hand she felt overwhelmig worry. On the other, she felt a staggering amount of desire.

She wasn't sure how to find a compromise between them. WIth Clara, all she could see was a little girl terrified of the world. Whilst her twin wasn't that much younger than her, Elena was still the eldest and felt so much responsibilty towards her two younger siblings. Jeremy was getting wilder and wilder, partying harder and taking stronger drugs and refusing to cooperate with her or Jenna. Clara, however, was acting as thouogh nothing had happened. She was her cheerful self and that was worrying Elena. Her sister had cried non-stop after their parents' death but after the funeral it was like a switch had flipped and Clara was back to normal. Elena knew this wasn't normal, and she would end up doing more damage than good by keeping it all in to herself but Clara wouldn't talk. Not to her, not to Jenna, not to Caroline or Bonnie. 

She felt his eyes on her again so she turned her head, resting her hand on her chin and trying her hardest not to make her staring too obvious. She wasn't sure what she was doing. She had too much on her plate at the moment. She had an out of control brother and a completely too in control sister, so why was she staring at the handsom stranger rather than trying to get their - and her - lives back on track.

His stare was intense and she felt a shiver run down her spine. Never had she felt this way with Matt, her first love, her first everything. Their relationship seemed childish in comparison to this all consuming desire this guy's eyes brought up in her. She looked back at the front of the classroom, biting her lip and trying her hardest not to smile. She blinked, startled, as her eyes met brown eyes so similar to her own. Clara was smiling - more like smirking actually. She raised her eyebrows and her eyes flickered in Stefan's direction before she looked back at Elena again. With a wink, Clara turned back around as if the exchange had never happened and Elena felt a light flush in her cheeks. Her attraction must be obvious if her sister, who wasn't even able to see them withouot turning around, could sense it.

She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket and pulled it out, trying her hardest not to attract Tanner's attention as she unlocked it under the table and raising an eyebrow in surprise when she saw Bonnie on the screen. Her best friend was in the same class as her, so why was she texting her? She opened the text and bit her lip as she read the message.

Hawt-e staring @ u!

Again, Elena turned back to Stefan and to no surprise he was. As her brown eyes met his green ones, everything faded into the background. Elena wasn't worried about school, her siblings, her life. She was consumed by his eyes and for the first time since her parents died... Elena felt alright.

\---

Later that night Clara was sat comfortably in the Grill, a restaurant that was popular in town with students at the local high school but available to everyone. Clara sat at a table, facing Bonnie as Matt Donavon sat next to her olive skinned friend. Clara offered Matt a smile which Matt returned. She was relieved that there were no awkward feeling between them; Elena had broken up with him buthe was obviously still in love with her. She was grateful that he remembered that he was more than just his ex-girlfriend's sister, she was also his friend.

"How's Elena doing?" Matt asked predictably, and Clara refrained from rolling her eyes. Everyone had told him that he should move on and Elena will come back in her own time if the relationship is going to work, but Matt was unwilling to let his first love go. Clara pitied him really, but she understood that desperation that comes with being dumped by that person who you thought was perfect. Clara herself had been through it and ir was the memory of her heartbreak that stopped her from making a potentially hurtful remark. 

"Her mom and dad died. How do you think?" Bonnie said and stopped, dark eyes moving to Clara sharply as her words caught up with. She made a move to apologise but Clara just shrugged. There was no point apologising, she was right.

"She's getting there Matt. Just give her some time. It's only been four months." Clara told him, giving him a small smile.

"But you're fine." He told her, looking at her and her smile closely and she had to stop herself from shouoting that no she wasn't. "Has she said anything about me?" He asked them all, looking between all three girls as though expecting to catch one of them out and force them to admit that Elena had been profesisng her undying love for him. Clara felt bad when she realised that actually, Elena hadn't mentioned him or their relationship once, or at least not to her. 

"Oh, no. So not getting in the middle. You pick up the phone and call her." Bonnie said and Matt looked down and his sadness was reflected in his words as well as his face. 

"I feel weird calling her. She broke up with me." Matt said uncomfortably, and it made Clara think of how much things had changed. Once upon a time Matt hadn't been frightened to call Elena, even before they made the step from friends to couple. It made her miss the old days when everything seemed so much simpler and easier. 

"Give it more time, Matt." Bonnie told him wisely but she knew as well as Clara that time will not change a thing. Her sister's admiration of the new student, Stefan Salvatore, had not gone unnoticed by either of them and Clara wondered how long it would be before Elena admitted it to hersef and gave it a go. Her sister deserved it, this happiness that she knew Stefan would bring and Clara would give her life for her sister's happiness. Clara's thoughts were interrupted by Matt's bitter voice and she looked up. "More time, huh?" He scoffed before standing up and Clara looked behind her to see her sister walking in to the Grill with Stefan beside her. Clara raised an eyebrow as Matt walked over to them, saying something she couldn't hear from the distance between them. Clara turned to Bonnie who had the same astounded expression that was surely on her own face.

"My sister works fast." She said, impressed and relieved all at once. She was glad her sister was trying her hardest to be herself again, and although she wasn't t he same person she was befoore their parents died she was at least making the effort with everyone around her. With their support, Clara knew her sister would be happy again in no time. 

"Hey, guys." Elena's voice suddenly spoke from beside them and they both turned and faced Elena who was looking at them expectantly, Stefan stood behind her slightly with a polite smile on her face. Elena raised an eyebrow at the sheepish expressions on their faces but ignored it as she and Stefan took a seat. "This is Stefan. Stefan, this is my best friend Bonnie and my sister Clara."

"It's nice to meet you both. Elena's spoke greatly about you both." Stefan nodded with a smile and Clara didn't fail to notice the way his eyes roamed over her face before he turned away. She pursed her lips but kept quiet as Caroline joined the table, her eyes focusing on Stefan with frightening intensity. Clara hoped that Caroline would get over this obsessive attraction of hers with Stefan as he was clearly as fascinated with Elena as she was with him.

"So, you were born in Mystic Falls?" Caroline asked with a smile.

"Mm-Hmm. And moved when I was still young." Stefan answered with a polite smile, although it was obvious from that one gesture that Caroline's attraction was unrequited.

"Parents?" Bonnie asked. 

"My parents passed away." Stefan replied and the whole table quietened. Clara looked down at that, ignoring Caroline's hand that had grasped hers under the table in a gesture of comfort.

"I'm sorry." Elena said and she genuinely was. She didn't say it to be nice or sympathetic, she said it because she understood the pain that came with losing both of your parents. "Any siblings?" She asked, shooting a quick glance at Clara who offered her a small smile. 

" None that I talk to. I live with my uncle." He replied and Clara nodded. She knew Zach, not well but she knew him. Everyone knew everyone in this town.

"Well, they can't be a very good sibling. I couldn't imagine not talking to Elena, or even Jeremy." Clara told him, unable to imagine a life where she didn't even speak to Elena. It was hard to imagine not speaking with Jeremy, even if the spent the majority of their time at each others throats at the moment. 

"So, Stefan, if you're new, then you don't know about the party tomorrow." Caroline piped up, attempting to draw the conversation into a less depressive topic and one that would allow her to earn the attention of Stefan from Elena. 

"It's a back to school thing at the falls." Bonnie explained to Stefan and Clara nodded.

"It's fun." She told him and he nodded, his eyes once again roaming over her face before he turned to Elena. 

"Are you going?" He asked her and Clara knew that if Elena was to say no then there was no way Stefan would be going, no matter how much Caroline would try and persuade him otherwise. 

"Of course she is." Bonnie said with a gentle nudge to Elena's arm. The contact seemed to let Elena gather her wits and she nodded belatedly to Stefan's question. Clara stifled a laugh.

"And if she wasn't she is now."

\---

"Just admit it, Elena." Clara blinked as Bonnie spoke, looking between her friend and her sister. She looked around her and took note of the people around her. For the past day she had been drifting, her attention seemingly in places where it shouldn't be.

"Oh, ok, so he's a little pretty." Elena gave in, a smile on her face as she spoke about Stefan. It made Clara happy to see her sister smile like that again.

"It's more than just a little, Elena. I'm starting to feel jealous." Clara laughed and Bonnie joined in as Elena rolled her eyes, a reluctant smile tugging at her lips.

"He has that romance novel stare." Bonnie added and Clara narrowed her eyes at Elena, making her eyes smoulder as she pouted her lips in an over exaggerated way that made Elena laugh and push her away. "So where is he?" Bonnie asked once Clara had regained her balance, looking around for any sign of Stefan.

"I don't know." Elena replied, joining Bonnie in her search.

"Why don't you tell us, Bonnie? You're the psychic one." Clara chuckled, raising her eyebrows and Bonnie gasped.

"Right, I forgot. Ok, so give me a sec. Grams says I have to concentrate." Bonnie said and Clara held up a hand.

"Hold on, you need a crystal ball." Ignoring Elena's protests, Clara walked a little distance and spotted an empty bottle that someone had discarded after drinking it all and reaching for another one. She picked it up and handed it over to Bonnie. Again, Bonnie's darker hand touched Clara's and Bonnie's eyes glazed over. Clara watched her as her eyes focused once more and she pulled her hand back abruptly.

"What?" Clara asked, that familiar feeling of terror rising once more. Bonnie's eyes held that same terrified look that she had possessed the day before. 

"That was weird. When I touched you, I saw a crow." Bonnie said, her voice shaking slightly as she stared at Clara in confuson.

"What?" Elena asked, looking between them both.

"A crow. There was fog, a man." Bonnie blinked at Clara before she shook her head. "I'm drunk. It's the drinking. There's nothing psychic about it. Yeah? Ok, I'm gonna get a refill" Bonnie walked past Clara, not looking at her friend and instead focusing on the floor.

"Don't you dare, Bonnie Bennett!" Clara seethed, racing after Bonnie but losing her friend in the crowd. She stopped and glared in the direction she thought her friend had gone before she looked up and caught the outline of the crow on a branch of a tree. Clara swallowed but allowed her glare to remain, sending the bird every hateful thought going through her mind as though it could hear her. She watched as the bird spread its wings and took flight, fading into the night sky. When Clara was happy it was gone, she turned and walked back in her sister's direction to see her walking away with Stefan. She stopped, and stood in silence as the party continued around her. Loneliness crept up inside her and she tightened her grip on the bottle in her hand.

A bitter smile curled on her lips. Great party, she thought, raising the bottle to ber lips. 

\---

Stefan stormed into his room, his mind plagued with the images of bite marks on the neck of Vicki Donovan, an innocent girl. Vampire attacks had been occurring more and more since he had arrived in Mystic Falls and it was only a matte rof time before people began to be suspicious and that would be when the trouble began. Stefan had already lived through one vampire hysteria in Mystic Falls and that had caused his death as a human. He didn't want to risk his death as a vampire as there would be no coming back from that. 

The door slam shut behind him as a black crow flew in through the open windows in his room. He jumped as it landed above him and he quickly turned around to face the last person he wanted to see tonight or any other night in his existence. 

"Damon." He announced and Stefan saw his lips twitch up into that insufferable and infuriating smirk that never failed to rile him up.

"Hello, brother." Damon spoke as though it had only been fifteen days since they had last seen each other and not the fifteen years it actually had been. 

"Crow's a bit much, don't you think?" Stefan asked, vaguely nodding at the black bird which flew away, unnoticed by either brother as they atred at one another. 

"Wait till you see what I can do with the fog." Damon smirked, raising his eyebrows as though tempting Stefan to ask just what Damon could do with the fog. Stefan had a general idea, recalling Elena's panicked mutters when he had encountered her in the cemetery.

"When'd you get here?" 

"Well, I couldn't miss your first day at school." Damon said, as thouogh he was an actual caring brother. "Your hair's different. I like it."

"It's been 15 years, Damon." He reminded his brother who let out a deep breath as though he was relieved. 

"Thank God. I couldn't take another day of the nineties. That horrible grunge look? Did not suit you. Remember, Stefan, it's important to stay away from fads." Stefan was getting annoyed with his brother and he was sure that it was beginning to show. Even after all these years, years spent both alive and dead, Damon never failed to get on his nerves.

"Why are you here?" He asked.

"I miss my little brother" Damon said as thouogh it were obvious and Stefan tried not to roll his eyes and let his brother know he was winning. 

"You hate small towns. It's boring. There's nothing for you to do." Stefan told him; this was why Stefan preferred to stay in small towns - less chance of running into Damon. 

"I've managed to keep myself busy." Damon said and Stefan grew angry as images of bite marks in Vicki Donovan's neck came into his head once again, reminding him just how Damon had bee keeping himself busy. 

"You know, you left that girl alive tonight. That's very clumsy of you"

"Ah. That can be a problem. . .for you." Damon shot him a smirk, as if he had won and Stefan narrowed his eyes.

"Why are you here now?" Stefan asked, suspicion covering every syllable. 

"I could ask you the same question. However, I'm fairly certain your answer can be summed up all into one little word. . .Elena." As soon as her name left Damon's lips, Stefan knew that this was the start of trouble and he hopeed that this would not b e 1864 all over again. He tried not to let his worry and panic show in front of Damon and used the only thing he knew that would hurt him.

"And here I thouoght it was always Emma for you." Stefan taunted and Damon's blue eys turned icy as he glared at Stefan.

"Don't you dare." He snarled and Stefan smirked.

"I'll admit, finding Elena was a pleasant surprise. But when I saw Clara I felt like I was human again. I kept replaying that moment we met them over and over again. Do you remember, Damon? When Katherine and Emma got out of that carriage?" Stefan asked and Damon turned so he could only see his brother's back.

"I remember. I'm not sure if you do. How fickle your heart must be for you to forget about Katherine so quickly."

"It's been one hundered and forty five years, Damon." Stefan said between gritted teeth and Damon smirked as the conversation turned from one sister to another. 

"Huh, doesn't time fly when you're killing people and having fun." Damon smirked. "Tell me something, when's the last time you had something stronger than a squirrel?"

"I know what you're doing, Damon. It's not gonna work." Stefan warned, feeling that familiar need for human blood rising as he was reminded of his diet. 

"Yeah? Come on. Don't you crave a little?" Damon taunted, moving to start hitting Stefan as though they were two brothers participating in a playful fight. 

"Let's do it. Together. I saw a couple girls out there. Or just, let's just cut to the chase, let's just go straight for Elena."

"Stop it!"

"Imagine what her blood tastes like!" And with that Stefan felt his face transform into the side of hikm that he hates most, the evi part of himk that strikes terror into most people and craves their blood. "I can."

"I said stop!" Stefan shouted and he ran into Damon with all of his strenght, despite knowing that it would do nothing against the vampire who drank the blood he craved and didn't substitute it for the weaker blood of animals like Stefan did.He felt his body make contact with his and he made a grab for him, throwing him through the window and onto the grass outside. He ignored the shattering of glass and jumped out after him. His feet touched the pavement but when he looked for his brother, who should have been lying on the floor, Damon wasn't anywhere to be seen. 

"I was impressed. I give it a six. Missing style, but I was pleasantly surprised. Very good with the whole face--- thing. It was good." Damon chuckled.

"You know, it's all fun and games, Damon, huh? But wherever you go, people die." Stefan told him passionately, hoping to appeal to Damon's long buried human side. He knew there was no chance of succeeding but he still held out hope that one day he might actually be able to get through.

"That's a given."

"Not here. I won't allow it." Stefan told him, shaking his head as he thought of Elena and Clara and their friends Bonnie and Caroline. All of the humans tha he's met, all innocent and fragile and so easily killed.

"I take that as an invitation." Damon wiggled his eyebrows, smirking at his brother. 

"Damon, please. After all these years, can't we just give it a rest?" Stefan sighed, sounding tired as he gazed at his brother who shook his head. 

"I promised you an eternity of misery, so I'm just keeping my word." Damon shrugged.

"Just stay away from Elena." Stefan warned and Damon raised an eyebrow.

"Who said anything about wanting Elena?" Damon asked and Stefan narrowed his eyes as the pieces clicked in his mind. Before he could say anything, Damon continued to speak. "Where's your ring? Oh, yeah, sun's coming up in a couple of hours, and, poof, ashes to ashes." Stefan looked at his hand in alrm, finally noticing the lack of a ring on his finger and looked up at Damon in panic. "Relax. It's right here." Damon held out the ring that he had taken from Stefan before grabbing him by the throat and throwing him away from him with force far greater than that which Stefan had used against him.

 

"You should know better than to think you're stronger than me. You lost that fight when you stopped feeding on people. I wouldn't try it again." Damon warned, his voice losing the joking tone and sounding much more serious as he threatened his younger brother. He looked up as he heard a door close from within the house and smirked. "I think we woke Zach up. Sorry, Zach." He shouted up, his voice not sounding apologetic but rather amused, 

Stefan looked up at where his nephew stood. When he turned back, Damon was gone and he sighed, knowing that whatever Damon was planning, people were going to be killed. He hoped that whatever happened, Elena and Clara would remain safe.


End file.
